Life imprisonment: meaning and interpretations of law.

The origin of criminal jurisprudence in India can be traced back to 3102 BC from the time of Manu. There was no criminal law in uncivilized society. Every man was liable to be attacked in his person or property at any time by any one. The person attacked either succumbed or over-powered his opponent. “A tooth for tooth, an eye for eye, a life for life” was the forerunner of criminal justice. With the advancement of civilization, the aggrieved person agreed to accept compensation, instead of killing his adversary. In Western jurisprudence, the real notion of crime percolated from the Roman law. In modern times, concept of criminal law is revolutionized. This paper deals with different types of punishments described by the law in India. Meaning and interpretation of ‘life imprisonment’ is discussed in detail to clear the confusing literature reported in the textbooks of Forensic Medicine in India. The Indian Penal Code, The Code of Criminal Procedure and decisions of High Courts and Supreme Court of India are reviewed to make it more authenticated.